System and method of processing MPEG streams for storyboard and rights metadata insertion

Claim 3

The method according to claim 1 , wherein the steps (a) and (c) further comprising the following steps: using a custom-built GUI for creating a video rights edit decision list (EDL) of restricted frames, useable during a video file editing session for preventing unauthorized use of restricted video frames; and using the video rights EDL for inserting or updating the video rights metadata flags of the affected video frame of the MPEG video file.

Claim 4

The method according to claim 1 , wherein the updating steps (c) and (d) further comprising the step of locating the timecode packet of the affected video frame of the MPEG video file randomly by binary search, using the video frame's nearest GOP header byte offset obtained through a GOP offset table lookup.

Claim 5

The method according to claim 1 , wherein the video rights metadata being selected from a group comprising full rights, limited rights, no rights, or expired rights.

Claim 6

The method according to claim 1 , wherein the timecode packet being inserted in a user data packet of the video frame, between a picture start header and a first slice header.

Claim 9

The system according to claim 6 , further comprising a custom-built GUI means, useable for creating a video rights edit decision list (EDL) of restricted frames, wherein the rights EDL means being useable during a video file editing session for preventing unauthorized use of restricted video frames, and for inserting or updating the video rights metadata flags of the affected video frame of the MPEG video file.

Claim 10

The system according to claim 6 , further comprising means for locating the timecode packet of the affected video frame of the MPEG video file randomly by binary search, using the video frame's nearest GOP header byte offset obtained through a GOP offset table lookup.

Claim 11

The system according to claim 6 , wherein the video rights metadata being selected from a group comprising full rights, limited rights, no rights, or expired rights.

Claim 12

The system according to claim 6 , wherein the timecode packet being located in a user data packet of the video frame, between a picture start header and a first slice header.

Claim 13

A program storage device readable by a computer tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for storyboard thumbnail and video rights metadata insertion, for preventing unauthorized use of restricted video frames of a previously encoded MPEG video file, wherein each video frame header of the MPEG video file including a compressed timecode packet having an identifying signature, an absolute and a relative SMPTE timecode of the frame, and a picture type and reference, and the MPEG video file stored in an electronic storage device coupled to the computer, the method comprising the following steps: (a) if an incorporation of video rights metadata of an MPEG video file frame requested, inserting video rights metadata flags in predetermined fields of the timecode packet of the affected video frame of the MPEG video file; (b) if an incorporation of thumbnail status metadata requested for a selected video storyboard thumbnail, inserting thumbnail status metadata flags in predetermined fields of the timecode packet of the selected video storyboard thumbnail frame of the MPEG video file, allowing automatic recreation of a storyboard file from the MPEG video file; (c) if a modification of a selected video rights metadata requested, updating accordingly the video rights metadata in a video catalog record corresponding to the MPEG video file, and updating accordingly the video rights metadata flags in the predetermined fields of the timecode packet of the affected video frame of the MPEG video file; and (d) if a modification of a selected video storyboard thumbnail status metadata requested, updating accordingly the thumbnail status metadata in a video catalog record corresponding to the MPEG video file, and updating accordingly the thumbnail status metadata flags in the predetermined fields of the timecode packet of the selected video storyboard thumbnail frame of the MPEG video file, thereby preserving the MPEG compliance and compressed audio/video data of the MPEG video file, while maintaining the MPEG video file's original frame presentation timing.

Claim 14

A program storage device readable by a computer tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for storyboard thumbnail and video rights metadata insertion, for preventing unauthorized use of restricted video frames of a previously encoded MPEG video file, wherein each video frame header of the MPEG video file including a compressed timecode packet having an identifying signature, an absolute and a relative SMPTE timecode of the frame, and a picture type and reference, and the MPEG video file stored in an electronic storage device coupled to the computer, the method comprising the following steps: (a) if an incorporation of video rights metadata of an MPEG video file frame requested, inserting video rights metadata flags in predetermined fields of the timecode packet of the affected video frame of the MPEG video file; (b) if an incorporation of thumbnail status metadata requested for a selected video storyboard thumbnail, inserting thumbnail status metadata flags in predetermined fields of the timecode packet of the selected video storyboard thumbnail frame of the MPEG video file, allowing automatic recreation of a storyboard file from the MPEG video file; (c) if a modification of a selected video rights metadata requested, updating accordingly the video rights metadata in a video catalog record corresponding to the MPEG video file, and updating accordingly the video rights metadata flags in the predetermined fields of the timecode packet of the affected video frame of the MPEG video file; and (d) if a modification of a selected video storyboard thumbnail status metadata requested, updating accordingly the thumbnail status metadata in a video catalog record corresponding to the MPEG video file, and updating accordingly the thumbnail status metadata flags in the predetermined fields of the timecode packet of the selected video storyboard thumbnail frame of the MPEG video file, thereby preserving the MPEG compliance and compressed audio/video data of the MPEG video file, while maintaining the MPEG video file's original frame presentation timing.

Claim 15

The method according to claim 11 , wherein the steps (a) and (c) further comprising the following steps: using a custom-built GUI for creating a video rights edit decision list (EDL) of restricted frames, useable during a video file editing session for preventing unauthorized use of restricted video frames; and using the video rights EDL for inserting or updating the video rights metadata flags of the affected video frame of the MPEG video file.

Claim 16

The method according to claim 11 , wherein the updating steps (c) and (d) further comprising the step of locating the timecode packet of the affected video frame of the MPEG video file randomly by binary search, using the video frame's nearest GOP header byte offset obtained through a GOP offset table lookup.

Claim 17

The method according to claim 11 , wherein the video rights metadata being selected from a group comprising full rights, limited rights, no rights, or expired rights.

Claim 18

The method according to claim 11 , wherein the timecode packet being inserted in a user data packet of the video frame, between a picture start header and a first slice header.